The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has concluded a consultation on the requests to postpone the upcoming general elections, firmly rejecting the proposals.
Officials from the commission emphasised that concrete reasons supporting the postponement were not adequately presented.
According to election commission officials, the cold weather argument lacks merit, as there seems to be no conclusive evidence of extreme conditions affecting most parts of the country. Furthermore, the security situation has been deemed satisfactory, alleviating concerns in that regard.
The ECP remains steadfast in its readiness to conduct the elections as scheduled on February 8, dismissing the notion that justifying a delay based on cold weather is appropriate.
Also Read: Elections 2024: Finance Ministry releases Rs17.4 billion to ECP
Many of the petitions filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan requesting a postponement have cited both the cold weather and security concerns as reasons.
This decision underscores the election commission's commitment to ensuring the electoral process proceeds as planned, considering factors such as weather and security within reasonable bounds.
As the country prepares for the upcoming elections, the ECP’s stance reflects a careful balance between accommodating concerns and maintaining the democratic timeline.
On Dec 5, the Ministry of Finance released Rs17.4 billion to the ECP for the general elections.
The Finance Division issued a statement and said: “Finance Division has released Rs17.4 billion to the ECP in addition to Rs10 billion released in July 2023 for conduct of general elections in the country."
